A cutlist optimizer is software that takes a list of parts you need and the stock sheets you have, then calculates the cutting layout that uses the fewest sheets. It accounts for blade kerf and grain direction and outputs a diagram you can cut from directly.

It sorts your parts largest first, then places each one in the tightest-fitting open space it can find on any sheet — rotating it first if grain isn’t locked. Every placement is split with a single straight guillotine cut, the same kind a table saw or panel saw can make. See the full how-it-works breakdown.

Cabinet makers, furniture and joinery shops, CNC and panel-saw operators, and hobbyist woodworkers cutting plywood, MDF, or melamine — anyone who wants a real cutting plan instead of guessing a layout on paper.

Yes — every feature is free, with no account, no calculation limits, and no trial period. See the pricing page for why this is possible.

No. Your project autosaves in your browser’s local storage, and you can share it with anyone via a link — no login required on either end.

Kerf is the width of material your saw blade removes on each cut. Setting it correctly (the default is 3mm) keeps the layout accurate to what you can actually cut. See our kerf guide for how to measure yours.

Yes. Lock grain direction on individual parts to prevent rotation; leave it unlocked on parts where orientation doesn’t matter to reduce waste.

Yes, if finished size matters. The tool tracks edge banding as a running length total for each edge you mark — it doesn’t automatically add tape thickness to your part dimensions. If you need exact finished sizes, add your banding thickness to the width or height before entering the part.

Almost always kerf. If it’s set to zero or lower than your actual blade width, every cut steals material and the last part on each sheet comes up short. Check kerf first, then whether you accounted for edge-banding thickness separately.

Yes. Add multiple stock sheets with different material names, and assign each part to the material it should be cut from. Parts are only matched against stock of the same material.

Yes — add a blank stock sheet sized to match your leftover offcut and give it the right material name. The optimizer will place parts on it exactly like a full sheet, and any usable offcuts left over from your new layout are reported at the end.

No — Real Cutlist Optimizer packs two-dimensional parts onto sheet goods (plywood, MDF, melamine). If you need to optimize lengths cut from linear stock like lumber, trim, or pipe, you want a linear cutlist optimizer built for that one-dimensional problem instead.

It’s flagged clearly in a warning above your results, listing exactly which parts couldn’t be placed and why, instead of being silently dropped from the layout.

No. The algorithm is deterministic — the same parts, stock sizes, and settings always produce the exact same layout. If your results change, something about the input changed too.

Yes — use the Print / PDF button in the tool. Each sheet prints on its own page with clean, labeled part outlines.

Nowhere. The entire optimizer runs client-side in your browser. Your dimensions and part list are never uploaded to a server.

Both, and Chromebooks too. Real Cutlist Optimizer runs entirely in your browser, so it works identically on a Windows PC, a Mac, or any device with a modern browser — nothing to install.